Cutting attachment for printing presses



Feb. 27, 1951 ADDINGTQN 2,543,219

CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed April 15, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 1 26 INVENTOR.

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Feb 2'7, 1951 L. R. ADDINGTON 2,543,219

I CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed April 13, 1948 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR,

Feb 27, 1951 R. ADDINGTON CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING'PRESSES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 13, 1948 IHI ICQ I Patented Feb. 27, 1951 CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES Loyal R. Addington, Wabash, Ind., assignor to Art Metal Construction Company, Jamestown, N. Y.

Application April 13, 1948, Serial No. 20,706

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in printing presses having cutting devices mounted thereon for use therewith.

Heretofore cutting rules have been used in connection with printing presses which are locked with the type for making cuts in the printed matter. Such cutting rules have proven unsatisfactory inasmuch as they cut the paper from one side thereof only and the cutting rules quickly become dulled or form burrs on their cutting edges. Such cutting rules have proven particularly unsatisfactory when used on heavy paper stock orcardboard.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a printing press having cooperatin cutting devices mounted on the bed and the platen of the press for cutting the paper with a shearing action during the printing operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a printing press of this type having means arranged thereon to ensure the removal of the printed cards or papers from the press. A further object is to provide a press having cutting devices thereon with means for disposing of the material cut from the cards or sheets in such a manner that the parts out off therefrom will not interfere with the correct operation of the printing press. A further object is to provide a printing press of this type with means for preventing the inking roller from contacting with the cutting devices during the operation of the press.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the upper portion of a printing press having cutting devices embodying this invention applied thereto, and showing the parts in the positions which they occupy just prior to the cutting and printing operation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof approximately on line 2-2, Fig. 3.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary, sectional elevations thereof respectively on lines 33 and 4A-, Fig. 2, Fig. 3 showing the parts in the posi tion which they occupy when the cutting has been completed, and Fig. showing the parts positioned before the cutting has been started.

Fig. 5 is a face view of an index card which has been printed and out on the machine shown in the drawings.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof on line 5-45, Fig. 7

Fig. '7 is a face View of the bed or stationary member of the press.

Fig. 8 is a face view of the platen or movable member of the press.

The printing press in connection with which my invention is employed. may be of any suitable or desired construction in which the platen of the press moves toward and from the bed at each operation of the press. In the particular press on which the improvements embodying this invention are shown, it] represents the bed or stationary member of the printing press which may be mounted on the frame of the same in any suitable or desired manner, and H represents the platen or movable member which is mounted to move toward and from the bed and carries the material to be printed to the bed and presses the same against the type on the bed. A blanket or pad I2 is secured to the platen to cushion the sheet when pressed against the type. The pad or blanket may be clamped on a part of the platen, for example, on a plate is secured thereto, in any suitable manner, as by means of bails or clamping members M which releasably engage the edges of the blanket or pad and press the same against the edges of the plate E3 to hold the pad stretched across the face of this plate, see particularly Figs. 3 and 8.

The bed of the press is provided with the usual opening l5 therein in which a chase of type it may be locked in any usual or suitable manner, Fig. 7, for example, by means of cooperating Wedge blocks ll. The bed I0 may also be provided with two or more guide pins i8 adapted to cooperate with holes IS in the platen for guiding the plate for accurate movement toward the bed of the press and the parts mounted thereon.

20 are the usual inking rollers mounted on shafts having wheels or disks 2! at the opposite ends thereof which, in the usual operation of the press, cooperate with the edges of guide projections 22 suitably secured on the frame of the press for guiding the inking rollers in their movement in such a manner as to apply the ink to the type. 24 represents the usual revolvin inking disk from which the inking rollers receive ink.

The platen and the inking rollers may be actuated by any suitable or desired mechanism, and since this mechanism does not constitute a part of this invention, it is not herein shown or described. 25 (Fig. 1) represents a table conveniently arranged on the machine for receiving the printed sheets or cards 26, and 2? represents a table on which blank sheets or cards to be printed are supported in convenient position to the operator.

My improvements are shown in the accompanying drawings as used in connection with the printing and cutting of cards to form indexes for filing systems, and each card before printing is of substantially rectangular form, and it is desired to cut out portions of one edge of the card to provide a tab 28 on each card, see Figs. 1 and 5. which is provided with a hole or aperture 29 thereon. Consequently, there are cut from the original card two rectangular parts 30 and a disk to form the hole 29. These cards are illustrated by way of an example of one type of work which my improved printing press can perform, but it is not intended to limit this invention for use in the manufacture of the particular cards illustrated, since it will be obvious that my improvements may be used for producing many other types of printing matter.

In accordance with my invention, I provide cooperating cutting members on the bed l and the platen H which cut the cards by a shearing action. For this purpose I mount on an edge of the bed of the press a pair of cutting members 35 in any suitable manner, for example, by means of attaching screws 36. These cutting members are provided with longitudinal cutting edges 31 and their vertical edges 38 are also in the form of cutting edges which sever the card at opposite sides of the tab 23 thereof. Any other means for securing the cutting members to the bed may be employed.

At the upper edge of the platen H a bar 40 is provided on the face thereof adjacent to the bed ID with a rabbet formed therein to receive a pair of cutting members 4|, see Figs. 3, 4 and 7, the upper edges 42 of which are formed to cooperate with the lower cutting edges 31 of the cutting members 35 of the bed. Between the two cutting members 4| is arranged another cutting member 43, the two upright edges 4 of which are formed to cooperate with the cutting edges 38 of the cutting members 35 of the bed for cutting the sides of the tabs 28.

The cutting members 35 of the bed of the press are preferably of tapered construction decreasing in thickness from the outer ends thereof toward their inner or adjacent ends thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so that the cutting members 4| of the platen will first engage the outer edges of the card for cutting the same, and as the platen moves toward the bed, the other portions of the cutting edges 42 of the members 4| will continue the cutting by means of a shearing action similar to that produced by scissors, so that the cut proceeds inwardly from the opposite upright edges of the cards. If desired, the taper or variation in thickness of the cutting members may be reversed, so that the cut proceeds toward the side edges of the card.

In order to provide the hole or aperture 29 in the tabs of the cards, a punch 45 is provided on the bed 55 of the press, and an aperture or hole 46 is provided in the tab cutting member 43 of the platen so that when the platen moves into its final printing position with reference to the bed, the punch will form the hole 29 in the tab and force the disk of paper out from the tab into the hole 46, which is preferably tapering, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, so that these disks may be readily discharged. 3? represents a spacing plate arranged between the adjacent ends of the cutting members 35 and secured to the bed l0, and the punch may have a stem 38 of smaller diameter than the punch, which is arranged in a hole therefor extending through the spacer ll and the bed I9. Any other means for mounting the punch on the bed may be provided.

I also provide a stripping means for removing the cards from the cutting members mounted on the bed of the press when the platen begins its movement away from the bed. These stripping means may be of any suitable or desired construction, and as illustrated by way of example,

they include two stripper plates mounted on the bed of the press beneath the cutting members 35, see Figs. 4 and '7. These stripper plates, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, have pins 5| secured thereto which are slidably arranged in suitable apertures in the bed H] of the press, the pins having enlarged heads 52 movable in enlargements in the holes in the bed and serving to limit the outward movement of the stripper plates 50. Springs 52a are provided about the pins 5| between the stripper plates 50 and the bed of the press so that these stripper plates are yieldingly urged into positions in which the outer surfaces of the stripper plates will extend slightly beyond the outer surfaces of the cutting members 35, to ensure stripping of the cards on sheets from the members 35.

Stripping means are also provided between the cutting edges 38 of the members 35 to strip the tabs from these cutting members, a stripper plate 55 being provided for this purpose, between these edges, which has an aperture through which the punch 45 extends. This stripper plate is mounted on pins 56, Figs. 3, 6 and '7, having enlarged heads 51 slidably arranged in holes in the bed ID. The pins 56 extend through and are guided for longitudinal movement in holes formed in the spaced plate M. A spring 58 extends about the pin between the stripper plate 55 and the spacer plate 41, so that this stripper plate strips the tabs 28 of the cards or other work from the cutting edges 38 and from the punch 45.

While I have shown the cutting and stripping members at the upper edge portions of the bed and platen, it will be obvious that these members may be mounted at the sides of the bed and platen, or on any other desired locations thereon.

In order to prevent the inking rollers 20 from applying ink to the cutting members and strippers, means are provided for guiding the movement of the inking rollers to the type while keeping the same out of contact with the cutting and stripping devices. In the construction shown for this purpose, a pair of auxiliary guide track members 60 is provided, one of which is mounted on each of the guide projections 22, in any suitable manner, the auxiliary guide tracks being of such dimensions and shape that when the wheels or disks 2| of the inking rollers travel along these auxiliary guide tracks, the inking rollers 25 will be kept out of contact with all of the cutting members and the strippers mounted on the bed l0. referably, the auxiliary guide tracks are removably mounted on the guide projections 22, for example, by means or" screws 6|, so that if the printing press is to be used for work not including the cutting of the cards or sheets, the guide auxiliary tracks can be readily removed from the press. The cutting and stripping members mounted on the bed and platen of the press can also be removed, if desired' It is of course very desirable to provide means for removing the parts out from the cards or sheets from the press so that they will not fall into the space between the bed and the platen, and for this reason the lower knives 4| are mounted on the platen and the upper knives 35 are mounted on the bed of the press. Consequently, the parts 35 cut from the cards or sheets will pass over the upper edges of the platen, as will also the disks cut from the holes 29 in the tabs. In order to further dispose of these waste parts, the platen is provided at the upper end thereof with a receiving or deflecting plate for the waste parts. This discharge plate may be suitably secured to the upper edge of the platen II in any desired manner and is inclined downwardly and extends in such a direction that any paper out from the cards or sheets is deflected in such a manner that it will be discharged from the printing press clear of the operating parts thereof.

In the operation of the apparatus described, when the platen is in its withdrawn position, with the upper edge thereof adjacent to the table 35, the card or sheet which has been printed and cut, is removed from the platen and placed on the table and another card is taken from the table 21 and placed on the platen. Any suitable or usual guide means for facilitating the accurate positioning of the cards or sheets to be printed on the platen may be provided, such as commonly employed in connection with presses of this type. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 7, a series of three stop members 51 may be secured to the platen by means of small quantities of suitable adhesive material 68, as is customary in this art, the stop members 6'! being positioned so that when a card or sheet is placed in contact with the three stop members, it will be correctly positioned on the machine.

The machine is then actuated to cause the platen to move toward the bed and to apply sufficient pressure to the card or sheet to efiect the printing, the cutting of the upper edge of the card to form the tab and the punching of the hole 29 in the tab 28. By performing both the printing and cutting operations at one time, as herein described, a material saving in time and expense of producing such sheets or cards is eiTected. The cutting members described produce a shearing action on the sheets which results in the formation of neatly cut edges on the sheets.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a cutting attachment for printing presses having a stationary bed formed to support type and a movable platen for carrying the sheets to be printed to said bed and pressing th same against the type supported thereon, that improvement which includes cooperating paper cutting members mounted on said bed and platen, the cutting members mounted on said bed being in alinement with each other and having their adjacent ends spaced apart and having transverse cutting edges formed on their ends to cut the sides of tabs on said sheets, and having longitudinal cutting edges, cooperating cutting members on said platen having longitudinal cutting edges for cooperating with the longitudinal cutting edges of the cutting members mounted on said bed, said platen also having a cutting member formed to extend into the space between the ends of the cutting members of said bed, and having edges formed thereon to cooperate with the cutting edges of the adjacent ends of said cutting members of said bed to form tabs on the sheet which is being printed, stripper members on said bed arranged lengthwise of and adjacent to the longitudinal cutting edges of said cutting members of said bed, and a stripper member arranged in said space between the adjacent ends of said cutter member of the bed.

2. In a cutting attachment for printing presses having a stationary bed formed to support type and a movable platen for carrying the sheets to be printed to said bed and pressing the same against the type supported thereon, that improvement which includes cooperating paper cutting members mounted on said bed and platen, the cutting members mounted on said bed being in alinement with each other and having their adjacent ends spaced apart and having transverse cutting edges formed on their ends to cut the sides of the tab on said sheets, and having longitudinal cutting edges, cooperating cutting members on said platen having longitudinal cutting edges for cooperating with the longitudinal cutting edges of the cutting members mounted on said bed, said platen also having a cutting member formed to extend into th space between the ends of the cutting members of said bed, and having edges formed thereon to cooperate with the cutting edges or" the adjacent ends of said cutting members of said bed to form tabs on the sheet which is being printed, stripper members on said bed arranged lengthwis of and adjacent to the longitudinal cutting edges of said cutting members of said bed, and a stripper member arranged in said space between the adjacent ends of said cutter member of the bed, said last men tioned stripper member having an aperture therein, a punch mounted on said bed and extending loosely through said aperture, said cutting member of said platen which extends between the adjacent edges of said cutting members of said bed being provided with an aperture with which said punch cooperates for punching holes in the tabs of the sheets.

3. In a cutting attachment for printing presses having a stationary bed formed to support type and a movable platen for carrying the sheets to be printed to said bed and pressing the same against the type supported thereon, that improvement which includes cooperating paper cutting members mounted on the upper edge portions of said bed and platen for cutting those edge portions of the paper which are presented uppermost to said press, the cutting member of said platen being arranged at or above the upper edge of said platen so that paper out by said cut-- ting members from the sheet being printed will be discharged over the upper edge of th platen, and a receiving plate secured to the upper edge of said platen on which paper out from said sheets is deposited for discharge from the print in press.

LOYAL R. ADDINGTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following, references are of record in the file of this patent:

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